Butterfly-inspired reflectors

摘要

A synthetic material mimics the complex microscopic structure of brilliant butterfly wings to achieve a bright blue colour.Butterflies of the genus Morpho are known for their dazzling blue wings (pictured right). The colour arises from densely packed layers of ridges that cover the scales on the wing surface. The ridges are structured such that light waves reflecting off the ridges interfere with each other, creating the blue colour. The tight, semi-random packing of the ridges makes the wings appear bright across a wide range of viewing angles.